PETER Fitzpatrick Ltd, a quarrying and contracting company based in County Down, Northern Ireland, has worked with CDE to implement a new wash plant to address the issue of excess crushed rock fines (CRF) and blinding from its greywacke processing operations.
Peter Fitzpatrick has historically faced challenges managing the by-products of quarrying operations. The primary issue was the accumulation of excess CRF and blinding material, which had been stockpiled with a view to future processing. As natural sand reserves become increasingly scarce, the need to efficiently process and repurpose these by-products became more pressing.
The excess material took up valuable space within the quarry and posed environmental and operational challenges. The company also recognised a chance to transform this by-product into a saleable manufactured sand.
MD Paul Fitzpatrick said, “The fine dust, 4mm material, which we didn’t have enough of an output of, in terms of what we had in the quarry, was becoming an issue. It started to take up a huge footprint within the quarry and we wanted a solution for dealing with that by-product. One of the more obvious things we were looking to address was how to turn it into sand.”
CDE proposed a 130tph solution, centred around the installation of a new washing plant that included the M2500 modular washing plant, the EvoWash sand washing system, and the AquaCycle thickener. This combination was designed to process the excess CRF and blinding material, transforming it into ‘high-quality’ manufactured sand and other aggregates.
The M2500 mobile washing plant integrates feeding, screening, sand washing, and stockpiling on a single chassis. The EvoWash system, designed to remove unwanted fines, is said to produce a ‘consistent and high-quality’ sand product. The AquaCycle thickener recycles up to 90% of the water used in the washing process.
CDE invited the Peter Fitzpatrick team to other local sites that were already reaping the benefits of utilising CDE technology, to see the equipment in operation.
Paul Fitzpatrick added, “It was impressive to see the CDE equipment. There is always a worry that the plant we are visiting is not the same as our plant, but seeing the material being processed gives you a lot of confidence. We had a conversation with Brendan Campbell, of Campbell Contracts, and were encouraged by what he had to say about their plant, the installation and his positive relationship with CDE.”
The implementation process involved collaboration between CDE’s sales team and technical engineers and the team at Peter Fitzpatrick. They planned the design and location of the plant, considering factors such as power generation, water servicing, and the construction of silt ponds.
Paul Fitzpatrick stated, “We now have a consistent sand product that we can provide to customers. We now have a product rather than the quarry dust coming from our crushing plant and being stockpiled with no prospect of getting to customers. We believe we have a product that has promising sales value or can be used internally.”
The plant’s capacity to handle up to 100,000 tonnes of dust and another 100,000 tonnes of secondary blinding material per year has reduced the footprint of stockpiled material within the quarry. The quality of the manufactured sand has also attracted new customers.
Des Crawford, business development manager at CDE, said, “As Peter Fitzpatrick Ltd continues to build on the legacy of the company’s founders, this successful project exemplifies their commitment to innovation, sustainability, and excellence in the quarrying and contracting industry. The new CDE washing plant not only addresses current challenges but also positions the company for future growth and success in an increasingly competitive market.
“It is always rewarding to work with a company that shares our values of creating our best world, one tonne at a time, and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the team at Peter Fitzpatrick Ltd.”
